Rights and Play WritingBy Abbie Hall

General Studyo Adapt a play from a book (Dying to Meet You)

o Learn about copyright

o Learn about producing plays

o Contact Kate Klise

What is Copyright?• Protection provided by the government over intellectual

property.

• Intellectual property: Literary, Dramatic, Artistic and Musical work

• Patent is for inventions and discoveries ©

Avoiding InfringmentAn excerpt if Section 107 of the U.S. Code:

1. The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes

2. The nature of the copyrighted work

3. The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole

4. The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work 

Gaining Rights to a BookTo gain rights to a book, you must get permission from the person/company/organization who holds the rights. There are four common options for gaining the rights:

1. Contact the authors agent

2. Contact the author

3. Do extensive research to find who holds the rights

4. Rights are under Public Domain

AdaptionWriting

When writing a play based on a book, you have to be sure to stay true to the book as much as you can. In doing this, you can develop the characters more, add and cut parts of the story, and change setting and such, however the main plot lines need to be the same and keeping in fan-loved details is beneficial.

Producing

You need to keep and open mind, letting the director have too much leeway can greatly disturb the image of the show. If you aren't directing your own show, you need to make sure to sit in on many rehearsals an meetings. You need to guide the play and make sure it's going where you want it to be. When the director makes cuts you think are inappropriate or makes huge changes, you need to be in on those decisions and fight for your position if it isn't what you think is right.

Outline

The first step to writing or adapting any play is to create an outline of the play you want to have with a key, character description, set discription, and scene-by-scene breakdown.

Summary: An acclaimed old writer is trying to write another book to his widely famous series, but he comes across a case of severe writers block. To escape that predicament, he rents a house in e very quiet town so he can be in solitary confinement, but soon finds that he inherited a young boy, his cat, and a lady ghost who doesn't enjoy his company. Although they try to chase him out, he stubbornly sticks around until they become a little family when the old man and old ghost fall in love.

Key:Ignatius B Grumply= IGAnita Sales= ASOlive C Spence= OSSeymour= SShadow Cat= CAnita Check= ACE. Gadds= EGPaige Turner= PTFrank N. Beans= FB

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy

Using letters from the key

Vague, but makes sense off the book

Small lighting and stage directions

Character suggestions

Outside Contact (Kate Klise)Kate Klise:

The email-

Dear Ms.Klise,

When I was in the 4th grade, you came to my school (Wilson Elementary, Coppell, Texas) to talk about your book Dying to Meet You and tell us about writing. Ever since I read your fantastic novel, I have been a huge fan you you and your sister (her drawings are wonderful!). I was so inspired by your book that, 4 years later, I decided to adapt it as a script for a project I'm doing in my Language Arts class. I just wanted you to know how much you inspired kids with your clever writing and unforgettable characters, whose names are pure genius! Your books awesome formatting and sweet message really speaks to me and other kids in my class who remember your visit and your books and are almost as enthusiastic as I am about this project! I hope you know that you and your sister are very talented and I feel blessed just for having read your work! 

Gratefully,

Abbie Hall

Outside Contact (Kate Klise)Kate Klise:

Her reply-

Oh, that is so nice. I'm flattered beyond words. Best of luck to you! 

Keep in touch. 

Outside Contact (Publishers)• My email-

Dear ,

My name is Abbie Hall and I am a student in the eighth grade inquiring about any information or tips you could give me about adapting a play from a book. For a project, I am taking a children's novel and adapting it for the stage, so I was wondering if there is any insight you could give me on what you look for in plays that apply for publication or things you think are crucial in writing/adapting a play for the stage. If there is any other information you could share with me about publishing plays or playwriting/editing it would be wonderful!

                     Gratefully yours,

                             Abbie Hall

Outside Contact (Publishers)

Outside Contact (Publishers)

Future Plans

• Expand, perhaps finish, the script

• Take the skills into another form of writing

• Write more plays in the future

BibliographyBond, Juliet C. "How to Adapt a Children's Book for the Stage, Or: "How Hard Could It Be?"" The Prairie Wind RSS. Newsletter of the Illinois Chapter of the SCBWI, 2011. Web. 27 Jan. 2014.

Wright, Lenore. "Securing Film Rights to Published Material." Securing Film Rights to Published Material. Writing World, 2004. Web. 03 Feb. 2014. <http://www.writing-world.com/screen/filmrights.shtml>.

"U.S. Copyright Office - Copyright in General (FAQ)." U.S. Copyright Office - Copyright in General (FAQ). N.p., 12 July 2006. Web. 03 Feb. 2014. <http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html>.

"Dying to Meet You: 43 Old Cemetery Road." Book Review. Common Sense, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

Klise, Kate. Dying to Meet You. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. Book.

Bibliography"U.S. Copyright Office - Fair Use." U.S. Copyright Office - Fair Use. U.S. Copyright Office, June 2012. Web. 07 Mar. 2014.

"The Free Automatic Bibliography and Citation Generator." EasyBib. Imagine Easy, n.d. Web. 07 Mar. 2014.

"Dramatists Play Service, Inc." Dramatists Play Service, Inc. Dramatists Play Service, Inc., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

"Samuel French – Licensing Plays and Musicals to the Theatrical Community." Samuel French – Licensing Plays and Musicals to the Theatrical Community. Samuel French, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

"Brooklyn Publishers - School Plays, Theatre Scripts, Search for a Play." Brooklyn Publishers - School Plays, Theatre Scripts, Search for a Play. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

Bibliography"Explore 1,920 Plays by 1,120 Authors!" Discover Plays. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

"Heuer Publishing - Play Scripts for School, Community Theatre and More." Heuer Publishing. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

"In The Spotlight." Eldridge Plays & Musicals. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

"Customer Service Contacts for Dramatic Publishing." Customer Service Contacts for Dramatic Publishing. Dramatic Publishing, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

"Contact - Kate and Sarah Klise." Kate and Sarah Klise. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2014. <http://www.kateandsarahklise.com/contact.html>.

The End